Best Christmas Ever
by Destinyjoyxoxo
Summary: "Quinn made up her mind right then and there that she was going to do something special for Logan because he deserved it. He deserved to have someone show him that they cared about him." — Friendship fic, set in season 3


**This story is a gift for Alma! Thank you for your friendship, love, unconditional support and for being my biggest fan. I truly wouldn't be where I am in this fandom without you. I love you so much!**

**(Also, some ideas used in this fic were inspired by Alma and the conversations we have)**

-—-

Zoey, Lola, Quinn, Chase and Michael were all sitting on the couch in the girls lounge waiting for Logan to meet them so they could start their Secret Santa gift exchange

"Where is he? I wanna open my present" Lola whined, stomping her foot impatiently

"Calm down, I'm sure he'll be here soon" Zoey chuckled, shaking her head fondly at Lola's antics

"Yeah, he's probably just taking photos of himself for his Christmas card" Chase joked

"Can't we just start without him?" Michael asked impatiently "you know he won't care. Our little gifts don't matter to him"

"Absolutely not!" Quinn spoke up, looking offended at the thought "Logan is our friend and he's a part of this Secret Santa exchange so we're going to wait for him. Besides, I thought you were looking forward to seeing whose name Logan picked"

"I am" Michael nodded "Logan always gives really good gifts because he has daddy's credit card. But he doesn't need our gifts so I still say we start without him"

"Here he comes" Zoey said before Quinn could reply, nodding towards the door as Logan walked in carrying a huge box and an envelope

"Sorry I'm late guys. I had to order this online and it came in late so I had to finish wrapping it" he explained as he sat down on the couch beside Quinn, gingerly setting the box down on the table and placed the envelope on top of it

"Finally!" Lola exclaimed dramatically "present time!" She said in a sing-song voice, clapping her hands excitedly

The next few minutes were filled with all of their loud, excited voices talking over each other as they exchanged their gifts. Chase gave Lola a theatre sign with her name on it, Zoey got a new sketchbook for her fashion designs and J.T. Hawthorne's newest book from Lola, Quinn made Michael a set of silent clackers (to the relief of everyone else) and Chase got a pair of noise cancelling headphones from Zoey which he knew would be useful with the noisy ass roommates he had

"Okay, it's Quinn's turn for her gift" Lola said, looking over at her

"Only Michael and Logan haven't given gifts" Zoey pointed out "so who drew Quinn?"

"That'd be me" Logan raised his hand and gave Quinn a small, almost shy smile as he picked up the box and envelope up from the table and handed them to her. He couldn't deny that he was really nervous for her to open it. He had spent so much time looking for the perfect gift for her and he thought he finally had.

Quinn set the box on her lap and opened the envelope first. She pulled the card out, laughing loudly as she read the front. On the card was a picture of a retort stand with vials and beakers hung on it in the shape of a tree and it read 'Christmas isn't the same without a chemistree'. She opened the card and saw 'Merry Christmas, Quinn' written inside in Logan's usual messy handwriting. The message was simple and far from heartfelt but she was surprised he had even done that.

She placed the card down beside her and then carefully tore the wrapping paper off of the box, gasping softly when she saw what was inside

"Logan.." she whispered, looking up at him with wide eyes. She was absolutely speechless. She swallowed thickly and carefully pulled the six different beakers out of the box. She gently placed them on the table in front of her, completely mesmerized by their beauty

"Beakers? Really?" Lola deadpanned, completely unimpressed

"These aren't just beakers" Quinn replied before Logan could say anything. She had caught the offended look on his face and she really wasn't in the mood for a Lola and Logan fight today. "This is a vintage, mid-century chemistry lab glass beaker set. They're stunning pieces and extremely expensive" she explained, focusing her gaze on Logan "you shouldn't have spent so much money on me, Logan" she murmured, not sure how to feel.

Logan shook his head, waving off her comment "it wasn't that expensive" he said even though they both knew that was a lie. "Besides, it's Christmas. And I knew you'd love them and appreciate them. I wanted to get them for you" he said honestly, giving her a genuine smile

Quinn returned his smile and leaned over to wrap her arms around him in a tight hug. She buried her face in the crook of his neck and ignored the butterflies she felt in her stomach when he hugged her back. She didn't expect him to be such a good hugger or for her to fit so perfectly in his arms

"Thank you, Logan. This is the best gift I've ever gotten" she said softly when she pulled away from the hug

Logan was in a daze. He couldn't focus on anything but the feeling of having Quinn in his arms. Sure, he'd hugged her before and it had always made him feel a bit high but it had never been like that before. He shook himself out of his state, forcing himself to get himself together

"You're welcome. I'm really glad you like it" he said, watching her with bright eyes and a fond smile as she picked up one of the beakers and looked over it in awe. Seeing Quinn so happy and getting to hold her, even if just for a moment, was well worth the 1,200 dollars he'd spent on her gift.

Quinn put the beaker down on the table once more and then turned so she was completely facing Logan and Michael

"Okay, Logan. Time for your gift" she grinned, excited and giddy for Michael to give him his present. After the amazing gift Logan had just given her, she really hoped Michael had given him something incredible as well.

"Here it is" Michael said as he handed Logan a small envelope

Logan took it from him and opened it up, pulling out the small card from inside

"A pear-tunes gift card" he said, trying to keep the disappointment and hurt out of his voice. He never got his hopes up too high when it came to Secret Santa gifts. He knew his friends didn't have as much money as he did and they couldn't be too extravagant. He understood that. But he had at least hoped that whoever pulled his name would put some thought into it. Everyone else had received gifts that were tailored to their interests and hobbies except him and he couldn't deny that it stung a bit. Did his friends not know him that well or did they simply not care? "Thanks, man" he said and forced what he hoped looked like a genuine smile on his face

Everyone else went back to their previous conversations, all of them lost in their own excitement and merriment. All of them except Quinn and Logan.

Logan was just sitting back and watching everyone, a hint of a smile, albeit sad, on his face. He was happy to see all of his friends so excited and full of joy, even if his own emotions didn't match that.

Quinn couldn't take her eyes off of Logan. She could see the disappointment he was desperately trying to mask and she could clearly see the sadness behind his eyes and it made her heart clench. Sure, her and Logan hadn't gotten off on the right foot but they'd become closer lately, especially after the free throws incident and the big radio debate. She'd started seeing him as a good friend and she hated to see him so clearly upset. And it pained her even more to realize that none of their other friends even noticed or cared.

Quinn made up her mind right then and there that she was going to do something special for Logan because he deserved it. He deserved to have someone show him that they cared about him.

"Sorry to cut this short guys but I have to go pack" Zoey apologized as she stood up from her chair. She grabbed her gifts and tucked them under her arm before she made her way out of the lounge

Everyone else murmured their agreement, remembering that they left to go home for break tomorrow, and stood up as well, following Zoey out of the room. Quinn watched as Logan walked out after Michael and quickly (but still extra carefully) placed the beakers back in the box they came in and then hurried out after everyone

"Logan!" She called, hoping to catch him before he got too far "Logan, wait!"

Logan stopped walking when he heard the unmistakable sound of Quinn's voice calling his name. He turned around to look for her, unable to stop a fond smile from forming on his lips as he watched her awkwardly run towards him.

"Hey Quinn" he murmured "what's up?"

"I just wanted to thank you again for my gift" she told him, biting her lip gently "you really didn't have to spend so much money on me"

"Quinn, stop. I already told you it wasn't that much. And I wanted to buy it for you" he shrugged, trying to seem nonchalant

"Well, thank you. It really means a lot" she said softly, gazing up into his eyes

"You're welcome" Logan whispered, unable to find his voice as he looked down at her. She truly had the prettiest eyes he'd ever seen. He cleared his throat quietly and forced himself to focus and act normal "so, what are your plans for Christmas break?" He asked as they slowly started walking again, making their way out of the lounge and headed towards the dorms

"My entire family is coming actually. All of my cousins, aunts and uncles and we're having a huge party for Hanukkah. We're not really a religious family so we just use it as a reason to all get together. I'm looking forward to it though because it's been years since everyone was able to be together" she rambled, feeling giddy with excitement

"That sounds really nice" Logan said genuinely as he looked over at her, his heart swelling at the sight of her smile. All he ever wanted was to see her happy.

Quinn nodded happily and beamed up at Logan, unable to control her smile "what about you? I'm sure your family goes all out at Christmas"

Logan faltered just a bit at her comment but quickly recovered

"Oh yeah, dad always goes all out. Hires all the best decorators and chefs and everything. Only the best for the Reese's"

Quinn frowned slightly at his words and she couldn't help but sense a bit of sadness behind his usual cocky tone

"You don't decorate yourself? Or bake cookies or anything like that?" She asked, furrowing her brows as she looked up at Logan

"Nah" Logan shook his head "we never really have the time. Dad is always so busy" he shrugged "but the house is always decorated when I get home for break so that's nice"

Quinn hummed in response but stayed quiet as they continued their slow walk. She couldn't help but feel sorry for Logan. Sure, he had all the money in the world but he had no idea what it was really like to spend the holidays with family. He didn't have any special traditions or anything and that thought made her heart break. She stayed quiet, lost in her own thoughts until they reached the midway point between the boys and girls dorms. She looked up at Logan then and gently set her box down on the ground before she pulled Logan in for a hug.

This was the best day of Logan's life, he was sure of that. Quinn had gone out of her way to actually talk to him and spend a few minutes with him and had willingly hugged him twice. He immediately wrapped his arms around her and hugged her back tightly, burying his face in her hair to hide his smile. He closed his eyes and subtly inhaled her sweet scent, feeling completely intoxicated.

Quinn pulled away from the hug after a few minutes but then leaned up on her tippy toes to press a soft kiss to Logan's cheek "Merry Christmas, Logan" she said warmly

Logan's entire body was on fire and he felt like he was shaking all over. He swallowed thickly, trying to get rid of the feel of cotton in his mouth so he could speak.

"Happy holidays, Quinn" he said softly, feeling his stomach do flips when she gave him a bright, tender smile in return

"I've gotta go but I'll see you next year" she joked

"Oh god" he groaned and playfully rolled his eyes "you're one of those people" he teased but it was clear that his words held no real mockery or malice

Quinn couldn't help but giggle at his reaction and simply shrugged in response "well it's accurate, isn't it? I won't see you until next year"

Logan looked at her with soft eyes, the sound of her giggle washing over him like a downpour "yeah, you're right" he murmured "I'll see you next year. Bye Quinn"

"Bye Logan" she gave him a small wave and watched as he turned around and walked towards the boys dorms. She'd be lying if she said she didn't feel a bit empty now that he was gone. She forced the feeling and those thoughts away as she picked up her gift and walked towards her own dorm to start packing.

One day and a too short limo ride later, Logan was back home and he couldn't help but wish he was still at PCA. He was trying to be excited, after all his dad had promised that he'd actually be home for Christmas this year but he knew not to get his hopes up too high. His dad promised a lot of things. He slowly walked inside the mansion, immediately noticing the lack of Christmas decorations. He frowned at that but didn't let it bother him too much. Maybe the decorators were coming later since it was still a few days before Christmas. He called out a greeting that echoed off of the too empty walls, sighing heavily when he realized that no one was home and plopped down on the couch, trying not to be too upset. He was reaching for the remote when he saw a folded piece of paper with his name on it laying on the coffee table. He picked it up and skimmed over it briefly, picking up on the key points. His dad was out of town until mid January and had also given Chauncy the holiday off so Logan was completely alone for Christmas.

He knew he should probably feel happy and excited. After all, he had the house to himself for two weeks and his dad's credit card. He could go crazy. But he couldn't help but feel disappointed, let down and extremely sad. He would never admit it to anyone but he missed his dad. He couldn't remember the last time they'd actually spent time together and he was hoping that this Christmas would be different. He blinked back his tears, refusing to give in to his emotions and cry over the situation and reached for the remote once more.

The first three days weren't too bad. Logan did enjoy having the house to himself and he enjoyed getting to unwind and have some peace and quiet. But on the fourth day, he was starting to go stir crazy. He was bored out of his mind and he really missed his friends. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and scrolled through his contacts, debating on if he should text any of them. He knew they wouldn't text him first. They never did. He decided against it, not wanting to bother any of them during their break. He slipped his phone back into his pocket and went into the gaming room, spending his Christmas Eve killing zombies.

Logan woke up early on Christmas Day and hurriedly went down the stairs, hoping that maybe, just maybe his dad would've found a way to show up and be there. He let out a shaky sigh when he was met with the same deafening silence that had been surrounding him the last four days. He let out a shaky sigh and walked into the living room. He gently pulled a family photo album off of a shelf and sat down on the couch with it in his lap. He opened it up and flipped through the pages with tears in his eyes, tenderly stroking the pictures with his fingertips. The book was filled with pictures of him, his dad and his mom. His beautiful mother. He missed her so much. She had died when he was just seven years old and life hadn't been the same after that. His dad had thrown himself into his work and was always with some new woman and Logan had been handed off for Chauncy to practically raise.

Logan didn't know how long he had been sitting there, crying over old pictures and memories until he was startled by the sound of his phone going off, alerting him of a new text message. He gently closed the book and dug his phone out of his pocket, his eyes lighting up when he saw Quinn's name flashing across the screen. He immediately opened her message, a soft smile growing on his lips when he read it. All she had sent was a simple 'Merry Christmas! :)' but it meant the absolute world to him. It showed him that at least someone was thinking of him today. At least someone cared. He texted her back a quick 'Thank you. Happy holidays to you and your family :)' and then put his phone down. He stood up and put the photo album back on the shelf before going into the kitchen to make breakfast before deciding to spend the day watching holiday movies on the couch. He was alone and while that really fucking sucked, he didn't feel as lonely as he had before. It was amazing, even to him, how one simple text message could completely brighten his mood.

The rest of the break went by surprisingly fast and before Logan knew it, he was walking back into his dorm room. He let out a happy, content sigh as he closed the door behind him, extremely glad to be back. This place felt more like home and his friends felt more like family to him than his own home and his father. His eyes immediately fell on a big box that was sitting by his bed. He looked at the tag and rolled his eyes when he saw it was from his father. He was about to sit down and open it when he heard a knock on the door

"Come in!" He called, turning around to see who it was when he heard the door open "hey Quinn" he greeted, giving her a bright smile as he tried to push away the butterflies he felt in his stomach. He didn't know it was possible but she had somehow gotten even more beautiful since the last time he'd seen her.

"Hey, Logan" she smiled back, closing the door behind her as she stepped into the room. "I wasn't sure if you'd be back yet"

"Yeah, I actually just got in a few minutes ago" he said and sat down on his bed. Quinn followed suit and sat down beside him, her eyes falling on the huge box "what's that? The gifts you got for Christmas?" She asked curiously and she really hoped it was. She never thought she'd see the day where she actually hoped that Logan got spoiled with a ton of presents but here she was.

Logan shrugged and looked at the box once more "It's a care package from my dad. It was here when I got here so I haven't opened it yet"

"A care package?" She asked, tilting her head in confusion "why didn't he just give it to you while you were at home?"

"Because he wasn't there" Logan muttered bitterly "he's off somewhere filming some new movie. And Chauncy was with his own family so there was no one to give it to me while I was there"

"Wait, you spent the entirety of Christmas break alone?" She asked, her eyes widening in realization

"Yup" Logan said, popping the 'p' at the end

"Oh Logan, I'm so sorry. That's awful" she breathed out, feeling a mix of emotions coursing through her. She wanted to hug him and cry for him at the same time.

"It's okay" he shrugged, giving her a small smile. "But what about you? How was your break? Did your family come down to celebrate?" He asked, genuinely curious. He really hoped she had the best time with all of her loved ones.

"Yeah they did" she nodded, unable to stop herself from smiling at the memories she'd made "it was really nice. But I did spend a lot of my time working on a new quinnvention which is kinda why I'm here" she admitted, continuing her explanation when Logan gave her a confused look in response "I couldn't help but notice that you didn't seem very happy with the gift that Michael gave you and you went above and beyond with my gift so I wanted to do something for you"

"Quinn, you didn't have to do anything for me" he argued. "Your gift wasn't any trouble and like I've told you, I wanted to get it for you"

"I know. And I believe you which made me want to do something for you even more. You deserve to have a nice Christmas too, Logan" she said quietly

Logan was stunned into silence by the sincerity in her tone and Quinn took advantage of the moment. She stood up and walked over to his computer, quickly typing away on his keyboard.

Logan shook himself out of his shock and stood up from the bed, walking over to stand behind Quinn. He placed his hands on the back of the chair on either side of her shoulders, looking curiously at the computer screen as he watched something download

"What are you doing? What is this?" He asked as she opened the program once it was finished downloading.

"It's your gift" she said as she spun around in the chair and looked up at him "I designed a video editing program for you. I know you love to direct and edit movies and videos so I created what is hopefully the perfect software. You can edit videos and pictures together, add music and special effects. Slow motion, zoom, things like that" she explained, biting down on her lower lip. He was just staring at her, not saying anything and she was becoming nervous. "If you don't like it, you don't have to use it. No pressure or anything. I'm not even sure it's any good, video editing isn't really my specialty but-" she rambled until she was cut off by Logan

"I love it" he whispered, unable to find his voice. He could feel tears forming in his eyes and he blinked rapidly to keep them at bay. There was no way he was going to cry in front of her.

"You do?" She asked quietly, her voice giving away her nervous insecurity

Logan nodded fervently and cleared his throat quietly so he could speak clearly "I love it" he repeated "it's absolutely perfect, Quinn. Thank you so much" he said, hoping she knew how much he meant it "This is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me" he told her, smiling down at her

Quinn returned his bright smile and stood up from his chair so she was eye to eye with him "I'm really glad you like it" she said. She would never tell him but she had spent nearly the entire two week break perfecting it. It was a lot of time, work and effort but seeing Logan's happy smile made it all worth it.

Logan made the first move this time and took a step towards her, opening his arms for a hug. Quinn immediately stepped into his arms, burying her face in his chest as she hugged him tightly. She would never admit it to anyone, not even herself, but she absolutely loved the feeling of being in his arms. He made her feel warm, safe and comfortable in a way she'd never felt before.

They both quickly pulled away when they heard someone clear their throat behind them and they turned to see Chase standing in the doorway, looking at them with suspicious eyes and a smirk on his face.

"Hey Logan...Quinn" he greeted them slowly, still confused to not only see Quinn in their room but to see her and Logan holding each other so closely.

"Hey dude!" Logan greeted casually, hoping to avoid a ton of questions from Chase. He knew it was inevitable though, especially since Chase knew how he felt about Quinn.

"Hi Chase. It's good to see you" Quinn said and walked over to give Chase a quick hug hello "well I've gotta get back to my dorm and unpack but I'll catch up with you guys later" she said and waved goodbye but not before sharing a secret glance and small smile with Logan

"Alright. See you later, Quinn" Logan said and walked over to her under the guise of shutting the door behind her "thank you, again for the gift. It means a lot to me" he said softly so Chase couldn't hear

"You're welcome. Merry Christmas, Logan" she murmured and gave him one last smile before she turned and walked away.

Logan couldn't help but watch her as she walked down the hallway, feeling a slight ache in his heart now that she was gone. He knew he was pathetic but he didn't care. All he cared about was the fact that the girl he loved the most had just given him the most precious, thoughtful gift he'd ever received. Sure, it was just a friendly gesture on her part but it meant the world to him. She meant the world to him.

He closed the door once she'd turned the corner and was out of sight and then turned around, going straight to his computer and sat down. He immediately opened the program Quinn downloaded so he could check it out, importing some of his favorite pictures and videos of himself to edit, all of Chase's incessant questions being drowned out by his thoughts of Quinn.

If you asked Logan, this was his best Christmas ever.


End file.
